Little Black Girl Sing

The words came from her mouth
with rounded black fullness
like a newborn Negro babe

She sang lik’ a mockingbird

The notes seemed to roll from her
throat
and find their place in the air
People used to say
that you could see the notes
just ahanging there in mid’air

I don’t know if dats de truth
but that little black girl can sing
sing lik’a mockingbird

She can sing so pretty
make you think
that you by the rolling river of Jordan
and when she deepens her voice,
Lord me
you think you done crossed
to t’other side

She take you so sweetly
and softly into heaven
that you wonder how you got there
without leaving the ground

That black girl can sing-
sing lik’a mockingbird

When she says ‘swing low”
oh oh you just catch ahold to
one of those black notes
and you just swing
and she brings you on up so high

I knows that the black faces
of the angels be asmiliing
Cause that child can sing
sing like’a mockingbird

Ya feel the goose bumps
going all up ya back
And if y’aint heard from God
in a couple of days
I swear that girl will bring
heaven down to earth

I just don’t who’s more satisfied
the good Lord or me
I know that his black face is abeaming
down on that child
cause she can sing
sing lik’a mockingbird

Some folks say they hear voices
singing with her
say the angels join right in
I believe that the choir in heaven
stop to hear that child sing

And when she rolls her little head back
and opens wide that mouth
I tell you no sound is heard
from d’east to the South

Folks stop pickin’ cotton
sinners run to be saved
the church is filled
some been raised from the grave

And that note just rolls out of her throat
sounds like Jesus troubling the water
then it come between her two black lips
And she holds it there with a moan

‘Oh, Oh Lordie me”
the preacher begins to groan
then she sings, “Hallejuah,
praise to our God and King
‘cause all God’s children got shoes
and the Lord watches over me.”

God’s eyes is on the sparrow
Watchin’ that
little black girl sing.